Vancouver Christmas Market

The Vancouver Christmas Market at Jack Poole Plaza is a great place to shop and get into the festive spirit with friends in November and December.

In 2025, the Vancouver Christmas Market runs from November 13th until December 24th. The venue is next to the Vancouver Convention Centre in downtown Vancouver.

Visit vancouverchristmasmarket.com for the attraction’s official website.

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Click on any of the following topics to jump to specific information, or continue reading for full details about the Vancouver Christmas Market.

Christmas Market at Jack Poole Plaza

The Vancouver Christmas Market is a perennial favourite over the festive season. It’s a fun outdoor European-style market with a German flavour. There are a number of vendors selling unique Christmas products — such as Christmas decorations, scented soaps and oils, and imported chocolates — that you won’t typically find elsewhere.

The market is a great place to shop for unusual Christmas gifts and festive treats. Mulled wine or a cup of steaming hot chocolate is wonderful for warming up as you make your rounds, shopping from one vendor to the next. If you’re stuck for Christmas gift ideas, the Vancouver Christmas Market won’t disappoint in its festive offerings to put under the tree.

New for 2025

In 2025, the market will have several fresh additions. Visit Santa’s Workshop for free photos and story time with St. Nick. You can also book to have breakfast with Santa.

Guests can also try their hand at holiday workshops, including crochet sessions and painting a Vancouver Christmas Market tote bag. There is also a new drink available for adults. The new Hot Aperol Spritz is available alongside the classic Glühwein and craft beer.

Happy Hour is also new! With discounted drinks and sample-size eats available Monday to Friday, 4:00–6:00 pm until December 5th, and 11:30 am–1:30 pm from December 6th to 18th.

Where and When

The Vancouver Christmas Market celebrates its 15th year in 2025, returning to Jack Poole Plaza beside the Vancouver Convention Centre (1055 Canada Place). Jack Poole Plaza is on the far side of the Convention Centre from Canada Place.

This year’s market runs from November 13th to December 24th, 2025. See below for the markets’ opening hours (subject to change).

November 13th – December 5th, 2025: Monday–Friday: 4:00–9:30 pm. Saturday–Sunday: 11:30 am–9:30 pm.
December 6th – December 19th, 2025: Sunday–Thursday: 11:30 am–9:30 pm. Friday–Saturday: 11:30 am–10:00 pm.
December 20th – 23rd, 2025: 10:00 am–10:00 pm.
December 24th (Christmas Eve): 10:00 am–6:00 pm.

Visit the Vancouver Christmas Market website for tickets and more information.

Christmas Market at Jack Poole Plaza — Jack Poole Plaza at Christmas

Admission to the Christmas Market

Tickets for the 2025 season are on sale now. Entry is timed in 30-minute arrival windows, but you can stay as long as you like once inside. Kids aged six and under are free. Prices for the 2025 season are listed below (subject to change).

General Admission Prices

• General Admission: from $6.99.

• November Pass: $15.99 – This includes unlimited visits between November 13th and 30th, 2025 (no time slot required).

• Season Pass: $32.99 – This ticket offers unlimited access and priority entry between November 13th and December 24th, 2025.

• Family Season Pass: $84.99 – This ticket includes two adult and two youth (ages 7–17) passes.

• Breakfast with Santa: Tickets for adults cost around $69.99, and kids’ tickets are around $10.99. These tickets include early market access and an artisan breakfast with Santa. This is new for 2025.

• Workshops: These start from $29.99. There are options to attend workshops for Christmas crochet, Paint & Sip, and more.

Click Promos & Events for full details on how you can save when you visit the Vancouver Christmas Market.

See the official Vancouver Christmas Market website for tickets.

Christmas Market Video

Check out the video below for an idea of what to expect at the Vancouver Christmas Market. The video includes scenes of the market from a few years ago.

See the official Vancouver Christmas Market website for tickets and full details.

What to Expect at the Market

The Vancouver Christmas Market is definitely worth visiting if you are looking for an outdoor market to do your Christmas shopping, or just want to see all kinds of interesting, high-quality gift ideas and tasty treats. It’s world-famous and very popular. As many as 250,000 people shop there each season!

You’ll find a wide selection of vendors at the market selling food and Christmas souvenirs of all kinds. There is also a carnival carousel and scavenger hunt for the kids, as well as alcoholic beverages for adults.

The Vancouver Christmas Market is arguably the Lower Mainland’s best outdoor market anywhere this time of year. It’s one of the very best in Canada, in fact. There are other good ones, including Vancouver’s regular weekly Winter Farmers Markets, which feature local produce and artisan products. The Vancouver Christmas Market, however, is in a league of its own!

Open from mid-November until Christmas Eve, the Vancouver Christmas Market has a German theme. Numerous European-style stalls sell everything from German beer steins to specialty soaps, chocolates, handicrafts and craft-distilled spirits. There are also hundreds of Christmas stocking-stuffer kinds of gifts. The quality of goods tends to be very high.

In addition to all the retail stalls, food for sale most years includes glühwein drinks, pretzels, schnitzels, and a variety of pastries. There is also beer and a range of other festive beverages. A mug of steaming hot chocolate topped with whipped cream goes down well as you browse the artisan stalls on chilly days and nights.

Regular features each year include mulled wine and entertainment. There is a huge walkthrough Christmas tree with tons of lights. Since 2021, carousel rides are free (although donations to charities are greatly appreciated).

Vancouver Christmas Market Shoppers — Christmas Market Shoppers

Christmas Market Zones

The Vancouver Christmas Market is divided into four or five main sections to make it easier to find different things. When the attraction first started up years ago, there were around two dozen vendors. Now there are close to 100!

In typical years, zones include the Christmas Tree Terrace, Artisan Market, Merchant Alley, Marktplatz and Alpine Haus.

Zones include the Marktplatz (with artisan vendors), Gourmetstrasse (with gourmet product vendors), and Kaufmannsgasse (with additional vendor stalls). There is also the Tannenbaum Terrace (where there are food and drinks for sale), Christmas Tree Terrace (where the giant walk-in Christmas tree is), and Schnapslplatz (where you’ll find a couple of wine and spirits vendors).

The carousel is near the entrance to the Vancouver Christmas Market on Canada Place Street. The Alpine Haus, meanwhile, is at the far end of the venue, near the waterfront. It’s where you’ll find covered seating to snack and rest from your shopping, and indoor activities like Karaoke Night on select dates.

In the middle of the market, near the start of the Tannenbaum Terrace with all the food and beverage vendors, is the Christmas Pyramid & Flying Stage, where the live entertainment takes place.

See the image below for a map of what the Vancouver Christmas Market looks like in a typical year.

2023 Vancouver Christmas Market Map — 2023 Venue Map

Walk-In Christmas Tree

In the middle of the venue, near the Olympic Cauldron, there’s the Tannenbaum Terrace. At the start of it is where you’ll find the giant Christmas tree most years. You can walk inside and take photos, too.

Artisan Market (Marktplatz)

Along the western or northwestern edge of the Vancouver Christmas Market and along the Cactus Club restaurant side, there are normally artisan vendors. There are lots nearby in front of the Alpen Haus covered-shelter area too.

The Marktplatz features local artisans selling a wide variety of handmade products. There are a few artisan vendors near the market entrance, not far from where the carousel is. Most, though, are in the Marktplatz area (or at least that was the case in previous years).

Merchant Alley (Kaufmannsgasse)

Along the eastern edge of the venue, on the side closest to the Vancouver Convention Centre, is Kaufmannsgasse, or Merchant Alley. That’s where the market has another two dozen or so vendors selling imported beer steins, exotic clothing, and handmade natural goods.

Click vancouverchristmasmarket.com for tickets and full details about the event.

Marktplatz Eats & Treats

You’ll find the attraction’s 24+ food and drink vendors in the central area of Marktplatz. There are other food vendors nearby, though, in the Tannenbaum Terrace area too.

Menu items at the market typically include cheese & potato raclette, stews, pork hocks, and bratwurst.

Dessert items in the Marktplatz typically include things like waffles, some kind of donut, Belgian chocolates and chimney cakes. There are also usually shish kabob-style chocolate-covered fruits and marshmallows. Drinks include craft beers, German beers, glühwein, schnapps, and hot apple cider.

Alpen Haus

At the north/northeast end of the Marktplatz, at the edge of Burrard Inlet, there is a large indoor area with places to relax and socialize. The area has a ski-theme and is called Alpen Haus.

See the Vancouver Christmas Market website for tickets and more information.

Market Entertainment

Most days at the Vancouver Christmas Market there is live music. Most of it happens on weekdays in the evenings, or on weekends throughout the afternoon and evening.

The live entertainment takes place on the second-floor stage of the Christmas Pyramid. Performances typically run on weekdays from around 5:00 to 9:30 pm and on weekends from 12:30 to 9:30 pm.

See our Vancouver Christmas Market Entertainment Schedule to check out last year’s entertainment lineup and schedule.

Market Tips & Advice

Below are some suggestions and information to help you make the most of your visit to the Vancouver Christmas Market.

TIP #1: The best times to go are when it’s not raining (unless you want to avoid the crowds) and during scheduled live music.

TIP #2: Unless the place is really busy, chat with the vendors. They have interesting stories about their products and can be fun to talk with.

TIP #3: While in the area, and if the weather is good, then go for a stroll around nearby Canada Place either before or after your trip to the market. Christmas at Canada Place isn’t a major attraction, but it is free and features nice lights and decorations in December. FlyOver at Canada Place also has Christmas-themed shows, and its theatre is just a short stroll away. FlyOver is also highly recommended!

TIP #4: Tickets are cheaper for early November visits. Take advantage and get your Christmas shopping done early.

See the Vancouver Christmas Market website for tickets and more information.